430 starting issue

Need to make sure your safety circuit is all there (nuetral, PTO's, Brake year depending). Could also be the fuze box. My fathers 430 I had an issue and once I put a meter to start reading things it made a connection. The tab that the fuze spade went into was bent too far away. I used the meter prob and bend it back and no issues since. A volt meter will tell you a lot. Check the purple safety wire at the starter to see if there is power. If not-start tracing back till you find where there is a break in power. My one 332 the connector is also a bit loose and requires a wiggle once in a while. Fathers 430 also had a bad nuetral switch when I started working on it.

What color is the wire at the nuetral safety switch and the two wire plug on the ptos ? It is a normal spade connector going to the starter (at least on my 332's, can't remember on the 430). so you could pull if off and it shouldn't turn over to start.

Ya, that red wire is bypassing a non-working safety switch I am guessing. The hack job may have damaged the wires so make sure power still makes it through (continuity test).